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The Leonard Lopate Show

Thursday, December 20, 2007
  • (<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/24345537@N00/130289726/" target="_blank">Giuliani Time</a>/flickr)
    (Giuliani Time/flickr)

    Two Sides to Every Story

    Rudy Giuliani has been involved in some shady business dealings. Find out why the media haven’t paid much attention to that part of our former mayor's history. Also: the life and long career of actress Joan Blondell. Chris Elliott on his funny new novel, Into Hot Air. And on Underreported: why America’s sex offender laws may not be protecting kids from abuse.

    We want your New Year's food ideas. Submit your recipe here!

    And find out how you can participate in our new political film series. We're asking you to watch 4 movies about campaigns, and then tune in on Jan. 8 for a discussion.

Giuliani’s Shady Business Dealings

Rudy Giuliani has some shady business dealings in his past. Journalist Michael Shnayerson tells us more about those dealings…and why the media hasn’t paid much attention to that part of Giuliani’s history.

Weigh in: Do you think Giuliani has a chance at the Republican nomination?

Read Michael Shnayerson’s article in the Jan. Vanity Fair, "A Tale of Two Giulianis"

Joan Blondell: The Bombshell from 91st Street

"The Blonde Bombshell" Joan Blondell was one of Hollywood’s most versatile – and underappreciated – actresses. MoMA presents a new exhibition of 13 films starring Blondell. Matthew Kennedy’s biography is Joan Blondell: A Life Between Takes.

Joan Blondell: A Life Between Takes is available for purchase at amazon.com

More information about MoMA’s exhibit
See MoMA’s Joan Blondell screening schedule

Chris Elliott’s New "Novel"

Chris Elliott’s new spoof novel is Into Hot Air: Another "Novel" by Chris Elliott. It’s about narrator Chris Elliott’s misguided quest to climb Mount Everest.

Into Hot Air is available for purchase at amazon.com

Underreported: Are Sex Offender Laws Working?

US sex offender laws may do harm than good, according to a recent report from Human Rights Watch. Strict notification laws and residency requirements don’t reflect the reality of the risks children face, may not protect victims, and violate the basic human rights of former offenders.

Sarah Tofte is a researcher at Human Rights Watch; Linda runs a support group for families of registered sex offenders. Elizabeth J. Letourneau, Ph.D. works with juvenile sex offenders. She's Associate Professor at the Family Services Research Center of the Medical University of South Carolina.

Weigh in: What do you think about current sex offender laws? Are they working? We’d like to hear from people associated with both victims and offenders.

Read HRW’s report "No Easy Answers: Sex Offender Laws in the United States"
Visit Linda’s blog, "There IS Life After Sexual Abuse"
Visit the Sex Offender Support and Education Network (SOSEN)

Bill Richardson on Diplomacy

The Leonard Lopate Show

New Mexico governor Bill Richardson will be joining Obama’s cabinet as Commerce Secretary. You can hear him talk about his experience in foreign policy and diplomacy on the Lopate Show in April 2007.

Plaxico Burress on the Lopate Show

The Leonard Lopate Show

NY Giants star Plaxico Burress is in the headlines this week for his self-inflicted gunshot wound. You can hear him on the Leonard Lopate Show in July 2008 talk about his life on and off the football field, and what it was like to win the 2007 Super Bowl.

Tom Daschle on Fixing America’s Health Care System

The Leonard Lopate Show

Former U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle has accepted President-Elect Barack Obama’s offer to be Secretary of Health and Human Services. You can hear Tom Daschle talk about his prescriptions for fixing American’s health care crisis on the Leonard Lopate Show in March 2008.

Barack Obama, Circa 2004

The Leonard Lopate Show

Listen to President-Elect Barack Obama on the Leonard Lopate Show in November 2004. He had recently won a seat in the U.S. Senate, and only a few months before, his rousing speech during the 2004 Democratic National Convention catapulted him into the national spotlight.

Guest Picks

The Leonard Lopate Show

Find out surprising facts about some recent guests on the Leonard Lopate Show. Check out our Guest Picks section! Did you know that football star Herschel Walker loves Judge Judy, Laurie Anderson is a big fan of agility training for dogs, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi likes Johnny Depp?